USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 83
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 83
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GEORGE B. MORROW, general farmer and stock raiser, who owns and success- fully operates a farm of 110 acres, is a leading citizen of Brown Township. He was born in Brown Township, Miami County, Ohio, Jannary 6, 1881, and is a son of R. C. and Jane (Caven) Morrow.
R. C. Morrow was born in Shelby Coun- ty, Ohio, where the Morrow family settled at an early day. For a number of years he engaged in agricultural pursuits in Shelby and in Miami Counties and then embarked in a livery business at Piqua, where he has a large establishment on North Street,
RESIDENCE OF E. N. SNYDER, NEWBERRY TOWNSHIP
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near the center of the city. He was mar- ried (first) to Jane Caven, who, at death left one child, George B. Mr. Morrow was married (second) to Sallie Stockstill, who died without issue, and (third) to Molly Palser. In politics R. C. Morrow is a Re- publican.
After completing his school attendance, George B. Morrow located on his present farm and has since given his entire atten- tion to developing its resources. His prod- ucts are the usual ones of this section, and he gives special attention to raising first class stock. In 1904 Mr. Morrow was mar- ried to Miss Rachel Wilgus, a daughter of Thomas Wilgus, and they have one son, Caven W., who was born February 12, 1905. Mr. and Mrs. Morrow are members of the Presbyterian Church. Politically he is identified with the Democratic party.
G. JACOB ZIMMERLIN, a retired farmer and most highly esteemed citizen of Piqua, residing in that part of the city known as the Rossville Addition, was born in 1832, in Germany, and is a son of George Jacob and Sally (Jenney) Zim- merlin.
In 1846 the parents of Mr. Zimmerlin came to America and settled in Miami County, on the land on which their son now lives, and made this the old home- stead. Here they died in advanced age, leaving the farm of fifty acres to their son. G. Jacob. In 1858 he bought a farm of eighty acres in Washington Township and lived on that until the parents died, when he moved back to the old homestead and has lived here continuonsly ever since his marriage. He has been a farmer all his mature life and continued to personally operate his land until within a few years.
Mr. Zimmerlin married Miss Magdalena Jenney, and they have three children: George H., who resides on the Washington Township farm; Emma, who is the wife of A. Schultz, who farms the old home- stead; and Catherine, who is the wife of William Roeser, an ice dealer at Piqua. Mr. Zimmerlin is a leading member of the German Lutheran Church at Piqua.
JOSEPH B. BRANDT, one of New- berry Township's representative citizens, engages in farming and threshing and re- sides on a valuable farm of 100 acres, which he owns jointly with his wife. This property is favorably situated on the Still- water Turnpike Road, two and one-half miles north of Bradford. Mr. Brandt was born on a farm in Darke County, Ohio, January 23, 1859, and is a son of Melchi and Frances (Brown) Brandt.
Joseph B. Brandt was reared and at- tended school in Darke County, and ever since old enough to use farm implements has been engaged in work of an agricul- tural nature. He owns a threshing-ma- chine and does a large business in that line. In 1901 he and wife purchased this farm, which formerly belonged to Abra- ham Miller, his father-in-law. and here he carries on general farming.
In 1887 Mr. Brandt was married to Miss Eliza Miller, who was born and reared on this farm, and they immediately settled here. Her parents were Abraham and Sallie (Bashore) Miller, the latter of whom was born in Virginia, and died in 1895. Abraham Miller was born on what was then included in this farm but had been portioned off into another farm, and spent his whole life here, dying in 1899. Mr. and Mrs. Brandt have five children, name-
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
ly: Arthur, Clarence, Fern, Alta and Alma, the two last named being twins. Mr. Brandt and family are members of the Brethren Church.
WILLIAM KELLER, a well known cit- izen of Newberry Township, Miami Coun- ty, Ohio, is owner of the old Moses Wise farm of 119 acres, located just north of Bradford. At the time he purchased it some five years ago, it consisted of 123 acres, four acres having since been sold off in town lots.
Mr. Keller was born six miles from York, in York County, Pennsylvania, June 20, 1867, and is a son of Jacob and Mary (Wanbangh) Keller, both of whom were born and raised in York County. He was reared on a farm and always engaged in agricultural pursuits; he became the owner of a farm of 137 acres in his native county, on which he lived until he sold out and moved to Miami County, Ohio, arriving February 18, 1904. He has a good home and a well improved farm, the land being devoted to general farming. He also is engaged in dairying, keeping an average of about twelve cows. Since the purchase of his present place he has twice lost his barn by fire. The barn which stood on the farm at his coming took fire from a threshing-engine on August 9, 1904, and was destroyed. It was almost immediately replaced by a new one, the dimensions of which were 40x80 feet. This too was burned, November 24, 1907, and a new one of equal size was erected in its place.
Mr. Keller was married in York County, Pennsylvania, to Miss Ameda Baker, who was a native there, and they have reared five children, Aaron, Mary, Jacob, Ruth
and Florence. He is a man of exceptional business capacity, and through close appli- cation to work and careful investment, has prospered.
GEORGE O. SIMMONS, a substantial and representative citizen of Brown Town- ship, Miami County, Ohio, is the owner of a farm of seventy-six acres, located just west of the village of Fletcher. He was born in that township in 1866, and is a son of Charles and Phoebe (Reeder) Simmons, both natives of Miami County.
Charles Simmons was born on the farm on which the subject of this record now lives, and was a son of Peter Simmons, who came to Miami County at a very early period and settled on that farm. Charles followed agriculture here throughout his active period and died on the homestead in 1884. He was married to Phoebe Reeder and they became parents of a large family, fourteen in number.
George O. Simmons was educated in the public schools of Brown Township, and from boyhood assisted in the work on the farm. He farmed the home until his mar- riage and seven years after, then for a period of seven years owned a farm in Brown Township, which he sold in 1908. In the spring of 1909 he purchased his present farm of seventy-six acres, which he devotes to general agriculture. He is a man of substantial worth and has been active in the affairs of the community ; he has served a number of years on the School Board, and has three times been honored with election as township trustee. Mr. Simmons was united in marriage with Miss Louella Giesseman, a daughter of William Giesseman, of Miami County, and they have three children, namely: Edgar, who
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assists in running the home farm; Ray- mond; and Kathryn. Politically Mr. Sim- mons is a Demoerat. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias at Fletcher.
DAVID D. YOUNG, who is engaged in general farming in Elizabeth Township, Miami County, owns 205 acres, which are sitnated in Section 13, and he is one of the Township's representative men. He was born June 22, 1827, in Bethel Township, Miami County, Ohio, one mile north of Brandt, and is a son of Daniel and Eliza- beth (Schroyer) Young.
The paternal grandfather was George Young, who lived at Boonesboro, Mary- land, until after the death of his wife. when he came to Ohio and settled in Mont- gomery County, not far distant from Day- ton. The grandparents on the maternal side were Jacob and Susan Schroyer, who lived two and a half miles north of Brandt. Ohio. The children of George Young, all of whom are deceased, were Daniel, Sarah, George, Benjamin, Hezekiah, Margaret and Lewis.
In 1826 the parents of Mr. Young were married and took up their residence in Miami County. They had a family of six children, as follows: David D., subject of this sketch; Louisa, who married Joseph Rudy, of Bethel Township; Susan, who married Samnel Kingore, of Donnelsville. Clark County; Sarah Elizabeth, who died in childhood; Benjamin Franklin; and Mary H., wife of H. E. Hawver, of Tippe- canoe.
David D. Young was taught his first les- sons by his great grandmother, in the house in which he was born. When he grew older he was sent to the Hickory Grove School and still later to the Hughs
School, which is now known as the Center School in Bethel Township. Being the eld- est in the family he early became very use- ful to his father on the farm and con- tinned to work for him until he was over thirty years of age. Mr. Young's mem- ory goes far back and he can remember many interesting things about the early settlements through this part of Ohio and of the customs and ways of living. He ro- calls a little walking trip he once had in early manhood, when he drove a cow all the way from Bethel Township to Cincin- nati. The distance was sixty-five miles, mainly through the woods and sparsely settled regions. When he reached the vil- lage of Dayton he was quite ready to rest and partake of a substantial meal at a public house. He remembers how much amusement was eaused when the innkeeper offered to bring around the guest's horse when the time for departure came and Mr. Young replied. "My horse has two horns and is generally called a cow."
After his marriage in 1857, Mr. Yonng settled on a farm of thirty-five acres which he owned in Bethel Township, two and a half miles north of Brandt, and continued to cultivate his land there until the ont- break of the Civil War. He then went into the army, enlisting in Company A, 147th Regiment, O. V. I., in which he served for 100 days, afterwards returning to peace- ful pursuits. For a short time he resumed farming in Bethel Township and then moved to his mother-in-law's farm. which was situated north of Tadmor, in Miami County, and remained there for seven years. Mr. Young then removed to Tip- pecanoe City and was there engaged in a grocery business for four years ; when he sold ont to return to the country he pur-
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
chased his present fine farm of 205 acres. At that time a frame stable and log house stood on the place, but they were later de- stroyed by fire and the present substantial structures were built by Mr. Young. This place has been his home since March 9, 1875. The Tippecanoe City and the Car- lisle Turnpike roads give easy means of travel in any direction, and are very dif- ferent from the wood paths by which Mr. Young once made his way to Cincinnati.
On September 30, 1857, Mr. Young was united in marriage with Miss Henrietta D'Long, a daughter of George and Eliza- beth D'Long. He and his wife have been the parents of four children, namely: George D., Ada Arkansas, David Franklin and Sarah.
David Franklin died in infancy. Sarah died November 30, 1884. George D., who married Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Zile, has seven children- Mary Etta, Harry Edward, Albert David, Ada Belle, Jacob William, Sarah Aletha and George Hilton; Ada Arkansas, who married John C. Drake, of Piqua, Ohio, has one son, John C.
Mrs. Henrietta D'Long Young was born January 1, 1831, in Miami County, Ohio, and died at the home of her son, George W. Young, in same county, April 15, 1909, aged seventy-eight years, three months and fourteen days. She was converted in early life and joined the German Reformed church. About twenty years ago she be- came a member of the Cove Springs Chris- tian church and remained a consistent member until death. At her funeral serv- ices a sermon was preached from a text of her own selection. She was a woman high- ly esteemed by her neighbors and dearly loved by all the members of her family.
Mr. Young is a member of the Christian church at Cove Springs. He is Republican in his political views but has never been willing to accept office. He has passed all the chairs in the local lodge of Odd Fel- lows but is no longer active in the order.
JOE F. COPPOCK, who, in partnership with W. O. Pattey, operates the largest grain elevator between Pittsburg and Indianapolis, at Fletcher, Ohio, was born in Newton Township, Miami County, Ohio, in 1868, and is a son of Allen and Maria E. (Furnace) Coppock.
Allen Coppock, now a most highly es- teemed retired citizen of Pleasant Hill, is a veteran of the Civil War, in which he served with honor. The greater part of his life was spent on his property in New- ton Township, where he still owns a farm of 120 acres. He married Maria E. Fur- nace, who is a sister of B. E. Furnace, county auditor, and they reared a family of nine children.
Joe F. Coppock was reared on the home farm and educated in the public schools. He engaged in farming until 1896 and then started into the grain business at Ludlow Falls, with Myers, Pattey & Company, and continued there until 1900, when, in part- nership with W. O. Pattey, the present elevator business was started. In April, 1903, the first elevator at Fletcher was burned, but in the same year the present fine structure was put up, which is prac- tically fire-proof, the walls being covered with galvanized iron. It is the most mod- ern and best equipped elevator in this section of the country and is located on the Panhandle Railroad, on the border of Fletcher. Its capacity is 80,000 bushels. The property is the possession of Joe F.
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Coppock and W. O. Pattey and Mr. Cop- poek is general manager of the business.
Mr. Coppock married Miss Ida Mohler and they have one daughter, Josephine. Ile is a member of the Society of Friends. In polities he is a Republican but never has been willing to accept office. Fra- ternally he is associated with the Masons and the Knights of Pythias. Mr. Coppock is one of the county's most enterprising and active business men.
ELWOOD M. DAVIS, who is an enter- prising farmer of Newton Township, own- ing a good sixty-acre farm, was born on his present property, April 11, 1859, the son of Jonathan and Eleanor C. (Jones) Davis. The father. Jonathan Davis, was born in Miami County, and spent his life here engaged in farming. His wife, Eleanor, mother of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Orange County, Indiana. Both parents are now deceased. Their family numbered the following chil- dren : Albert, who is now deceased; Eliza, who married John Coat and resides in Miami County; William. deceased ; Amanda, who married Anson Hildebrand and lives in Miami County ; Mary, now de- ceased, who married Amos Brandon, who was captain of a company in the Civil War; and Elwood M., who was the young- est of his parents' children.
Elwood M. Davis, after completing his school studies, turned his attention to agri- culture and subsequently purchased the home farm from his father. He has im- proved the property by building an addi- tion to the residence as well as a new barn. Besides general farming he raises tobacco and potatoes, these two latter branches of his work being specialties with him. IIe
has about ten aeres in tobacco and from eight to ten acres planted with potatoes each year, and as he is a good practical farmer, his erops are usually plentiful and of excellent quality.
On October 15, 1880. Mr. Davis was united in marriage with Florence Teeter. daughter of Elias and Susannah ( Moore) Teeter, who were farming people of Miami County. Mrs. Davis's father is now de- ceased. Mr. and Mrs. Davis are the par- ents of children as follows: Nellie Zolo married Elmer Cool: they live in Dayton and have two children-Lenora and Lowell. Glenn is an engineer, residing at Dayton. Jessie is attending the Pleasant Hill High School. Wilma, the youngest child, is attending the Pattytown School in Newton Township.
Mr. Davis is a Republican in his political views. Ile has served the township as school director and as pike superintend- ent. Ile is a member of the Friends' (Imreh. Mrs. Davis, who was a school teacher in Miami County prior to her mar- riage, belongs to the Progressive Brethren Church of Pleasant Hill.
THE WOOD SHOVEL & TOOL COM- PANY, of Piqua, is one of the city's pros- perous and important business enterprises. Its establishment dates from June, 1902, and it was incorporated under the laws of the State of Ohio, with a large investment of capital. Its officers are: H. K. Wood, president : S. S. Gould, vice-president ; and William W. Wood, secretary. The main office is maintained at Piqua, with factories at the same place, while the following cities have branch offices: New York, Chicago, St. Louis, Louisville, Denver, Los Angeles. San Francisco, Portland and Mexico City.
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
The scope of manufacturing covers every- thing in the way of shovels, scoops, drain- ing tools, etc. The plant's dimensions are 62 by 300 feet and they occupy about 25,- 000 square feet of floor space. Employ- ment is afforded some eighty men in the works and eight traveling men cover the United States, while for exports represen- tatives are kept in England, Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, Mexico and Central America. To achieve success in pushing and maintaining a business of such large proportions, men of great ability and force, strong and self reliant, practical and experienced are required and these have been secured for this enterprise.
H. K. Wood, president of the Wood Shovel & Tool Company, was born in 1847, in Miami County, Ohio, a son of William W. Wood, who was born in Hollis, New Hampshire, and was a representative of a family that came to New England from Amesbury, England, in 1638. William W. Wood became one of the pioneer manufac- turers of Miami County and as such brought the first car of coal to Piqna. He was prominent in all the early public af- fairs of the county, and was the first presi- dent of its board of education and took upon himself many of the early responsi- bilities which brought subsequent good to his fellow citizens. In 1850 he made the overland trip to California, by ox team, returning in 1852 by way of Nicaragua. For many years he controlled the cooper- age business in this section. For thirty- one years, with his son, he was engaged in the linseed oil business. He married Caro- line Kirk, who was born in Ohio, a daugh- ter of William Kirk, and they had four children, only two of whom lived to ma- tnrity, H. K. and William Albert. The
latter was engaged for many years in the wholesale tobacco business at St. Louis, and died in California, in September, 1881. The death of William W. Wood occurred in 1905, at the advanced age of eighty- eight years, his birth having taken place in 1817. On both sides he had come from Revolutionary ancestry.
H. K. Wood was married on September 6, 1873, to Miss Frances Adelaide Wilson. Her father was Judge William Martin Wilson, a very prominent man, and her mother was a daughter of Judge Dorsey, who was the first treasurer of Miami Uni- versity. Mr. and Mrs. Wood have one son, W. W. Wood, 3d, who is treasurer and sec- retary of the Wood Shovel & Tool Com- pany. Mr. Wood is a member of the Green Street Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he is a steward. In the early history of the Y. M. C. A. he was its president, and he was chairman of the building commit- tee when the present building was erected. For eighteen years he was president and general manager of the Piqua Electrical Company, and he is vice-president and a member of the board of directors of the Piqua National Bank. He has served on many civic boards and has belonged to numerous commissions appointed for the general welfare. He is a Thirty-second Degree Mason and belongs also to the Piqua Club and to the Sons of the Amer- iean Revolution.
A. C. CARROLL, who conducts the larg- est general store in Laura, Union Town- ship, was born in this township, January 25, 1855, son of James and Barbara (Pip- pinger) Carroll. The father, James Car- roll, was born in Maryland, and was a butcher by trade. He came to this section
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
when young, settling on a farm, where he resided for a while. Most of his time was spent in Georgia, however, where he died at the age of thirty-six years. His wife, Barbara, was from Preble County, Ohio. She bore her husband six children, name- ly: Vanade and Minerva, who died when. young; A. C., the subject of this sketch; Albert. Orlando and Oliver.
A. C. Carroll received his education in the schools of this township. He learned the butcher's trade under his father and also worked for some time as a clerk. In 1895 he started in business for himself at his present location, where he carries on a general mercantile business, his stock including hardware. He owns his com- modions store, which is located in a fa- vorable position on Main Street and is well patronized by the people of the village and the surrounding country. He has always adhered to strictly honest methods in his business transactions and has thus gained the confidence of the people, who know they can depend upon him to treat them fairly.
In politics Mr. Carroll is a Republican. He belongs to the Christian Church and was formerly a member of the Junior Or- der of American Mechanics. December 28. 1886, he married Lyda Ditmer, and they have been parents of four children- Bertha; one that died in infancy; Clyde, who assists his father in the store; and Marie. The family are among the sub- stantial and respected residents of the vil- lage of Laura.
E. S. MOHLER, secretary of the Coving- ton Building and Loan Association, at Cov- ington, is engaged in a general fire insur- ance and real estate business and is a rep-
resentative and valued citizen. He was born in Newton Township, Miami County, Ohio, September 15, 1860, and is a son of Ephraim and Anna (Nill) Mohler. The parents of Mr. Moller were residents of Newton Township until 1890, when they left the farm and came to Covington, sub- sequently removing to Missouri, where both died.
E. S. Mohler resided on the home farm until he was twenty-four years of age. He secured a publie school education and aft- erward made practical use of the same, for some twenty years following teaching as a profession. When he came to Coving- ton he embarked in his present business and since the fall of 1899 has been con- nected with the Covington Building and Loan Association, succeeding JJohn Ullery in the office of secretary. This is a very flourishing organization and receives the support of the leading business men of the place.
Mr. Mohler married Miss Alice Cable, now deceased, who is survived by four children, Blanche, Roger, Homer and Ada. Mr. Mohler is social in his nature and is identified with the Masons, the Odd Fel- lows and the Ancient and Honored Order of Gobblers. He is not a zealous politician, but he takes an active interest in the de- velopment of local enterprises and in move- ments tending to add to the importance of Covington.
AARON H. DEETER, one of Newton Township's substantial citizens, a stock- holder in both the Stillwater and the Pleas- ant Hill Banks, carries on farming on twenty-nine acres, which he has improved and lived on since 1874. He was born April 13, 1847. in Newton Township.
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
Miami County, Ohio, and is a son of Daniel ยท H. and Mary Ann (Hoke) Deeter.
The Deeter family was a pioneer one in Newton Township, where Daniel H., father of Aaron H., was born, not far from the Stillwater River, July 25, 1816. He im- proved land when he reached man's estate and became a substantial citizen. He mar- ried Mary Ann Hoke, a daughter of David Hoke, and they had four children: Eliza- beth, Cornelius H., Aaron H. and Joseph. They were members of the German Bap- tist Church. They died about four years ago and now rest in Sugar Grove Ceme- tery.
Aaron H. Deeter remained at home until his marriage and obtained his education in the common schools of Newton Township and the High School at Pleasant Hill, at- tending the latter institution for two years. Following his marriage he resided for two years on his father-in-law's farm and two years on his father's place and then came to his present place, containing twenty-nine acres, ten of which he has only a life lease on, that portion belonging to his children. He erected all the farm buildings and put in 400 rods of tile, thus insuring excellent drainage, and cleared about eight acres after settling here. He devotes about six acres each to tobacco, clover, corn, potatoes and oats. Mr. Deeter also owns land in Kansas, a fine farm of 160 acres situated in Garfield Township, Norton County. He has also done much county and township contract work, public roads and ditches during the years that have elapsed since 1868.
Mr. Deeter was married April 25, 1868, to Miss Angeline Myers, a daughter of David Myers, and the following children were born to them: Jody, who married
George Martin, and has eight children, the names of three of which are Ida, Harry and Mabel; a babe that died; Pearl, who married Oliver Snowberger and has two children, Glenn and Joice; Zelda, who mar- ried William Speagh and has two children, Lewis and Herbert; and Mazie, who mar- ried Albert Fritz and has one child, Etoil. The mother of these children died April 6, 1884, and her burial was in the Coving- ton Cemetery.
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